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Arc Welding 101: Earning D1.1 compliance

Q: The company I work for has welded steel to make web truss frames for steel buildings for 20 years but has never been certified in any way. Some bids that we see require certification from a national organization. Do you know what our best approach should be to becoming certified?

Larry S.

A: The terms certified and qualified are often used interchangeably in our industry. Typically, what contract documents specify is that your welding be in compliance with American Welding Society (AWS) D1.1, “Structural Welding Code—Steel.” This simply means that your joint design, weld processes, and welders be qualified.

Qualification requires that your joint and weld processes be tested (or controlled) to ensure they perform the way the engineer intended. This may require extensive testing, or simply meeting all the requirements of prequalification. Compliance with AWS D1.1 also requires that your welding personnel be tested to ensure their ability to apply sound welds. Of course, all of this will need to be properly documented.

Your best bet would be to enlist the services of a certified welding inspector (CWI) to review your contract documents and your general shop practices. From there he should be able to draw up a specific plan, laying out how your company can become compliant and take on more business with confidence.

A lot of good resources are out there. In addition to AWS, I suggest you check out the American Institute of Steel Construction. There you can download your free copy of AISC 360-05, “Specification for Structural Steel Buildings,” and lots of other information that should help to get you on the right track.

About the Author
Braun Intertec

Paul Cameron

Braun Intertec

4210 Highway 14 East

Rochester, MN 55904